The year 2024 has been one of the best for the Apple company, as they have made big announcements and several devices have been launched that have been a topic of conversation. One of the best surprises that has brought us is the new version of its Mac operating system, better known as macOS Sequoia. And with this, numerous changes have arrived for users. Today we will see How to Install Sequoia on an Unsupported Mac.
However, every good thing has its bad side, and although the bad is not much, we must mention that This new version of macOS is only for the most modern devices. So, if you have a 2015 MacBook or a 2016 Mac Pro, this version is not available for you. However, today we are going to bring you a solution and we will see a way to install Sequoia on an unsupported Mac.
What to do if your Mac is not compatible with macOS Sequoia?
If you currently have a Mac that is not compatible with the latest version of macOS (Sequoia), you should know that there is another alternative. There are numerous models of Apple computers that, even with very good specifications, cannot be updated to macOS 15, because they are old models.
This is especially noticeable in the MacBook Pro line, which is why, to solve this problem, a few years ago a group of young developers started and gave life to a new project. It is called Open Legacy Patcher and is able to make your 2008 MacBook able to be updated to the latest version of the operating system.
Which Macs are compatible with this app?
Open Legacy Patcher is an application that is available for free and it happens to be compatible with numerous computers of the company. In this way, each of the users will be able to enjoy all the new functions that macOS Sequoia brings us. In addition lets you enjoy the app compatibility and aesthetic look of macOS 15.
To give you an idea of what this app is, it is capable of bringing the operating system to the next computers.
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MacBook designed between 2008 and 2019.
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MacBook Air created between 2008 and 2017.
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MacBook Pro came to light between 2008 and 2017.
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All Mac mini from 2009 to 2017.
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iMacs designed between 2007 and 2018.
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Mac Pros released between 2008 and 2018.
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Xserve, created between 2008 and 2010.
Steps to install macOS Sequoia on an unsupported Mac
Download the installer
The first thing we are going to do is Find a USB device so you can download the macOS installer. To do this, you simply need to Download OpenCore Legacy Patcher and open this application, once opened, click on Create macOS Installer.
Then click on the option again. Download macOS Installer and you will see a list of available installers. Choose the version you prefer and select the USB to save this installer.
Patching the Mac
Once we have the installer on the USB, we must go back to OpenCore Legacy Patcher and click on the option Build and Install OpenCore. After this, the application will automatically take care of install everything necessary to get the new version of macOS working on your old computer.
Install the new operating system
Once you have finished patching your Mac, the wizard will give us the option to Install to Disk, and it will ask you to choose the drive to install. Choose the main drive for the installation and once you are done, Your Mac will automatically restart, if it does not happen properly, you must restart it yourself.
When the computer is turning on, hold down the key Option to view the Mac's boot menu. Here, you can choose the option to Install macOS Sequoia instead of choosing the default option. It will then be reset Reiniciar.
Change the starter
Because we have the installer on a USB device, every time we want to boot the Mac, we will need to have this device plugged in. Therefore, we must change the boot so that this does not happen. To do this, just follow the steps above and, after clicking Build and Install OpenCore, we will choose the main disk as the installation location.
This way, when we reboot and see the boot menu, we will choose the main disk again to boot from.
What you should keep in mind before installing Open Legacy Patcher
Although the installation of Open Legacy Patcher is quite simple and effective in many aspects, this application is still a Unofficial Apple option. It is not an application recommended by the brand and has no guarantee, before making any decision, you must accept the risks and take responsibility.
Therefore, once we install the application and with it macOS Sequoia, some options that the operating system guarantees may not be available.
An example of this is the application of Photos from Apple, this is an application that requires a fundamental requirement to work, since Your Mac must support “Metal”. Therefore, if you have a very old Mac, Photos may not be usable on your computer.
It would also be good if each of the users made a backup your files before installing this application. This is because aspects of the old operating system that are very important for the computer will be modified. Because, in order to start Sequoia, the app will have to rely on components that Apple does not officially support.
An important requirement for installing macOS Sequoia on older computers
One of the key points, which is essential in the Installing macOS Sequoiait's check how much storage you have available on your Mac. Please make sure your computer is not full and has enough space for the installation.
The good thing is that the installation can be done through external storage, either a USB or an external hard drive. As we said, it is good to make a backup of your files in case something goes wrong. Save the copy on an external drive just in case.
Once you have enough space, you simply have to download the application, and then click on "Download and install macOS installers». You can complete the entire process with just a 32 GB USB.
And that's it, let me know in the comments what you think about this option to get Sequoia running on your old Mac.